Oh!" cried several of the maidens, and from the nature of their glances
it might reasonably be gathered that already they began to recognise the
inferiority of their own sayings.

"Is that the question, or the answer, or both?" asked a youth of
unfledged maturity, and to hide their conscious humiliation several
persons allowed their faces to melt away.

"That which has been expressed," replied this person with an ungrudging
toleration, "is the first or question portion of the contrast. The
answer is that which will be supplied by your honourable condescension."

"But," interposed one of the maidens, "it isn't really a question, you
know, Mr. Kong."

"In a way of regarding it, it may be said to be question, inasmuch as it
requires an answer to establish the comparison. The most pleasing answer
is that which shall be dissimilar in idea, and yet at the same time
maintain the most perfect harmony of parallel thought," I replied. "Now
permit your exceptional minds to wander in a forest of similitudes: 'The
Phoenix embroidered upon the side of the shoe: When the shoe advances
the Phoenix leaps forward.'"

"Oh, if that's all you want," said the one Herbert, who by an ill
destiny chanced to be present, "'The red-hot poker held before the Cat's
nose: When the poker advances the Cat leaps backwards.'"

"Oh, very good!" cried several of those around, "of course it naturally
would. Is that right, Mr. Kong?"

"If the high-souled company is satisfied, then it must be, for there is
no conclusive right or wrong--only an unending search for that which
is most gem-set and resourceful," replied this person, with an
ever-deepening conviction of no enthusiasm towards the sit-round game.
"But," he added, resolved to raise for a moment the canopy of a mind
swan-like in its crystal many-sidedness, and then leave them to their
own ineptitude, "for five centuries nothing has been judged equal to
the solution offered by Li Tang. At the time he was presented with
a three-sided banner of silk with the names of his eleven immediate
ancestors embroidered upon it in seven colours, and his own name is
still handed down in imperishable memory."

"Oh, do tell us what it was," cried many. "It must have been clever."

"'The Dragon painted upon the face of the fan: When the fan is shaken
the Dragon flies upwards,'" replied this person.

It cannot be denied that this was received with an attitude of
respectful melancholy strikingly complimentary t